(CNN) -- The Republican National Convention will make history Wednesday night. Ishwar Singh, wearing a turban and beard, will take the stage and lead thousands of conservatives in prayer.

For the first time in U.S. history, a Sikh American will give the invocation at a Republican National Convention.

The inclusion of a Sikh prayer on the stage comes just a few weeks after a gunman opened fire on Sikhs praying in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, killing six and hospitalizing three more in what could be the largest racially motivated mass shooting in recent U.S. history. Many praise the invocation as a mark of progress in the Sikh community's 100 years in America.

Visuals matter. And in a racially charged political climate, a turbaned and bearded man will be presented to the country by Republicans as a fellow American. This is a remarkable step forward.

But speech also matters. If Mitt Romney and Republican leaders want the historic Sikh invocation to be more than tokenism -- and are serious about preventing another Oak Creek -- they cannot continue to let hateful speech within their own party go unchecked. In a time when hate groups are on the rise, the Republican Party must accept responsibility for fostering a political climate that often casts people of color as foreign and inherently suspect.

GOP leaders have not only stood silent while fellow Republicans fan the flames of anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim bias, they have given them the megaphone. Singh will speak on the same stage as Sheriff Joe Arpaio, infamous for shaming and rounding up undocumented immigrants, saying that it's an honor to be compared to the KKK. Newt Gingrich, who is presiding over "Newt University" at the RNC, has compared Muslims to Nazis.

You might want to read up on the Sikh and their history. Of importance is their relationship with islam, illustrated by these events:

“Protecting the religious and political rights of all people and preventing discrimination is an integral part of the Sikh faith. The 5th Guru Arjan Dev was martyred by the Mughal ruler Jahangir on 16 May 1606 for refusing to convert to Islam. The martyrdom of Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Ji 9th Guru to protect Hindus from religious persecution, in Delhi, on 11 November 1675 AD, is another example of upholding minority religious freedom; he gave his life to protect the right of Kashmiri Hindus to practice their own religion when they were being forced to convert to Islam by Aurangzeb, the Mughal emperor at the time.”

I don’t know what to say or think about this because I don’t have a clue what Sikhs believe. I don’t know if it’s possible to listen to a Sikh praying and direct the same thoughts toward the God of Abraham. Of course, if the prayer starts, “In the name of Allah, the beneficent, the merciful...” we got some big problems.

From the article: “Romney and Republican leaders must check extremism in speech. They can start by meditating on the Sikh prayer to be offered by Singh: “Nanak nam chardi kala, tere bhaanai sarbat da bhala.””

Dear Enlightened Wideawake One,

Please tell me what this prayer means. I being a foolish, Christian American, who speaks only English, don’t have a clue.

“nanak naam chardi kala tere bhane sarbat da bhala” (which is part of the Sikh prayer called the Ardas), which translates roughly as: “In the name of the Supreme Power, do something good for someone else in your life.”

Stealing their victims right from under their noses. No matter how sincere, the move will expose and highlight the Muslim pandering coming up in Charlotte.
Come on Chris Mathews. Just start throwing those racist soundbites at this one. They will go so well in commercials in October.

31
posted on 08/29/2012 3:07:23 PM PDT
by Steamburg
(The contents of your wallet is the only language Politicians understand.)

Sikhs are a different breed of cat. Im ok with inviting a sikh to lead a prayer.

As for the rest of the piece, the writer is a fool.

One hundred percent correct. White liberals have this silly idea that "people of color" all think alike and are all white liberals under the skin. At least I hope they do. If they don't, their championing of every religion on the face of the earth other than redneck Bible-thumpers would be terribly hypocritical--wouldn't it? [/sarcasm]

NO, NOT what I was saying at all. Cnn is identifying Republicans in general as “Conservatives” in the article as though all Republicans are of Conservative bent, which we all know is not true.

This is what I have been railing about on FR for the past eight years. The media, the Leftists, the RINO’s redefining “Conservative” to the Left for their benefit.

John/Jane Q. Public have to be made aware nowadays of what a true Conservative is, and what a true Conservative is actually about. The public has to be educated as to what they once knew as truth about Conservatism, because of this sort of BS practiced by those that have been incrementally sweeping the Conservative Movement under the Leftist rug.

What I’ve been saying for eight years here, and longer at another site is the Left is trying to redefine Conservatism, corral true Conservatives, and force them into an irrelevant third party. Effectively creating a one party political system in this country with many a follower believing they are “Conservative” as defined by the party, but actually in name only. It’s what I see as their goal. They have us almost where they want us.

We have to wake up, and realize what is happening, and cease this one sided follow the leader game they have been freely playing us, as many were not catching onto their ploy.

This move by Team Romney RINO’s yesterday is a prime example of their devious ploy IMO.

37
posted on 08/29/2012 3:20:25 PM PDT
by rockinqsranch
(Dems, Libs, Socialists, call 'em what you will, they ALL have fairies livin' in their trees.)

Please tell me what this prayer means. I being a foolish, Christian American, who speaks only English, dont have a clue.

First of all, don't impugn wideawake's conservatism. He is one of the most consistently conservative people on this forum (and probably its most intelligent). Furthermore he is a staunch champion of Biblical inerrancy, including the first eleven chapters of Genesis which so many so-called "inerrantists" want to dance around. That's right--he's a creationist. Some respect is called for.

Why wouldnt we vote for a Jewish person?

Because you seem to be indicating that only chrstians should be elected to political office (or at least the Presidency) in this country. I know that as a devout Fundamentalist chrstian you consider the Hebrew Bible to be from G-d. But this means you consider the Jews to be the "cub scouts" for the "boy scouts" of chrstianity. While this position is mandated by your acceptance of the Hebrew Bible, the fact remains that you accept Jews on chrstian terms, not on Jewish terms (which aren't the same as multiculturalist terms). As a chrstian you have to do this, but I hope you realize that the Jews do not recognize their religion as a preparation for chrstianity at all, to be complete in itself, and that chrstianity is therefore at least philosophically in error and at most idolatrous. I understand chrstians can't accept this, but they should understand that this is the Jewish position.

I myself am a Noachide, and even I can't in good conscious pray to J*sus or the "trinity" or say "amen" to such a prayer--not because it is "intolerant" but because it is a prayer to a false "gxd." At least the Sikhs don't believe in a "trinity" or an "incarnation."

NB to all FReepers: the Left has pushed multiculturalism, "tolerance," and "pluralism" for so long that an Anglo-Protestant nativist reaction has long been inevitable, and I believe is beginning manifest itself. However much this clashes with the modern worldview, I ask you all to remember that the identification of the United States as a nation created primarily for Anglo-Protestants is not Nazism. For most of this country's history bimboeruption's opinions would not have alarmed or surprised anyone. Jews have lived in the US from the beginning, and managed to survive just fine in the old America where abortion and sodomy were crimes and Protestantism was taught in most public schools. You and I may disagree with him/her for reasons of religion or our understanding of history, but there is no barbed wire involved in this worldview whatsoever. It is the standard ethno-identitarian conception that until recently all nations had of themselves.

Where in ANY of my posts have I indicated I wouldnt vote for a Jewish person?

I didn't say this. I said you would vote for a Jewish person because you acknowledge the Divine origin and truth of the Hebrew Bible. You do not acknowledge the qur'an or the Sikh holy book (and neither do I). But I said your acceptance of Judaism was on chrstian terms, and since you are a sincere chrstian, it could hardly be otherwise. I asked that you merely understand that Jews do not consider the Hebrew Bible an "old testament" on its way to "fulfillment" but a religion complete in itself and thus chrstianity to be in error.

I don't want to fight with you. Why you think I do and why you think I accused you of not being willing to vote for a Jew is absolutely beyond me, especially since I just defended Americo-chrstian identitarianism as perfectly respectable and no threat to Jews at all, despite what some have come to believe.

Your criticism of wideawake, however, was uncalled for. He's still the world champion FReeper.

"...they [Republicans] cannot continue to let hateful speech within their own party go unchecked. In a time when hate groups are on the rise, the Republican Party must accept responsibility for fostering a political climate that often casts people of color as foreign and inherently suspect."

Now that is just rich. The Democrat Party has spewed more hate then any hate group ever in existence! Just this past week we have heard their hope that Republicans all die in the hurricane, that Akin be raped, and they have entered vile things on Wikipedia about Mayor Mia Love...you get the picture. It's time they look in the mirror before they throw accusations around about Republicans and hate!

BTW, Sikhs are the good guys. Many are mistaken for muslim, but they are as far from being muslim as both Christians and Jews are!

50
posted on 08/29/2012 4:35:05 PM PDT
by jan in Colorado
(In times of universal deceit, telling the truth will be a revolutionary act. --George Orwell.)

Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.